Price stays a “main barrier” to accessing dental care, Stats Canada reported Wednesday, citing information from the Canadian Oral Well being Survey (COHS).
The information reveals that about 24 per cent of Canadians aged 12 and older prevented visits to an oral well being skilled attributable to price for fiscal 2024, barely larger than the 22 per cent reported in 2018.
“Price is a serious impediment to accessing dental care, and subsequently, an obstacle to reaching good oral well being outcomes,” the examine says. The report particulars the traits of people who prevented visiting an oral well being skilled or getting advisable dental therapy attributable to price.
The report comes after Canada launched its federally backed Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) in late 2024 to assist low-income and uninsured Canadians entry dental companies. It’s estimated that greater than 1.5 million Canadians have acquired care beneath this system.
Girls extra affected
The examine additionally examined disparities amongst varied teams. General, 27 per cent of ladies reported price as a barrier to dental care, in comparison with 22 per cent of males.
Younger ladies aged 18 to 34 had been the most probably to report price as a barrier, with 38 per cent saying that they had prevented a go to to an oral well being skilled attributable to price. Moreover, 33 per cent of racialized Canadians had prevented visiting an oral well being skilled due to price, a better proportion than the 21 per cent of non-racialized Canadians.
Dental care entry disparity
Earnings and insurance coverage play a major position in entry to dental care.
Amongst people with out dental insurance coverage, 50 per cent of these with an adjusted household internet earnings (AFNI) beneath $90,000 and 30 per cent of these with an AFNI of $90,000 or extra prevented visits to an oral well being skilled attributable to price.
For people with personal insurance coverage, cost-related avoidance was 19 per cent for these with an AFNI lower than $90,000 and seven per cent for these with an AFNI of $90,000 or extra.
